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Miss Sophie: OK, so the Christmas rush caught up with me after all

Well, Christmas is less than a week away. I have bought presents for four people. I only have another 10 to buy for. I was going to get it all done early this year, but I’ll be rushing through the store Friday frantically trying to finish up. I had such great plans ...

I cannot lie — this is not the first year I’ve done this. When trying to decide what to write about this week, I searched my supply of Christmas books.

I have Southern Living Christmas magazines from 1995 with stars by recipes, decorations and crafts that I had intended to make.

To date, I haven’t made a one. I guess if I haven’t gotten to them in 17 years, I’m probably not going to, but I won’t throw them away — maybe next year.

I also promised myself I wouldn’t let the hectic pace get to me this year. I even wrote an article encouraging you to not let it get to you.

I realized I had failed to live up to my own advice one morning last week.

I was going to an 11 a.m. funeral, but before I could go, I had to get some turkeys in the oven at the restaurant. I rushed out the door, put everything in the car and realized I didn’t have my purse. I ran back in, looked in all the usual spots, to no avail, and wondered to myself what I could have done with it. I bent down to see if it had fallen under the desk, and as I did, something hit my elbow.

Yes, it was my purse. I had been wearing it on my shoulder the entire time. I think I saw some men in white suits waiting for me at the end of the road, but I dodged them again.

I will finish my Christmas shopping in plenty of time and I will enjoy all the celebrations with my family members. I will vow not to do this again next year, and next year at this time, I will realize I failed to live up to that vow. Perhaps this is the way it is supposed to be — at least for me. And when I think about it, I really don’t mind it. I’m blessed to have such a large family to buy presents for. I am blessed to have a business that demands so much of my time. I am blessed to have a husband who loves his crazy wife — in spite of it all. If I weren’t so blessed, I wouldn’t be so frantic. So I just shouldn’t complain.

While thumbing through my books, I decided Christmas morning recipes would be just the thing to share with the rest of the crazy people who have taken time out of their hectic schedules to read this article. Simple and delicious, these two recipes can be made in advance and will make Christmas morning hungry mobs happy.

Merry Christmas, and God bless you all!

Teri Bell is co-owner of Miss Sophie’s Marketplace at the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. Go to sophiesmarketplace.com.

3. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Separate biscuits; dip biscuits in melted butter and dredge in sugar mixture. Stand biscuits on edge around the pan, placing 12 on outer side and 8 on inner side of pan.